Families' perspectives on the use of physical restraints

There have been many studies on the use of restraints from health care professionals point of view. However, studies that examine the perspective of the patient or the patients family are limited. Using a survey approach, the project team investigated the perspectives of families on the use of restraints on their relatives who had been admitted to a rehabilitation facility. Twenty-five families were recruited into this study through convenience sampling. It was found that the majority of them were not aware of alternatives to physical restraints, had no opinions on restraint use, and found restraints useful. The findings highlighted the need for family education and participation in clinical decision making concerning the use of restraints.